OUR GIVING CIRCLE
WGC's Mission, Vision, Goals, Values
MISSION: The Women’s Giving Circle is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County.
VISION: Women’s philanthropy shapes the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving.
GOALS:
VALUES: We believe:
VISION: Women’s philanthropy shapes the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving.
GOALS:
- Expand philanthropy and increase giving by local women.
- Build a permanent endowment fund.
- Increase the life skills of women and girls.
- Encourage the healthy development and personal authority of young girls.
- Raise the awareness of gender disparities in our community.
- Sustain the WGC for future generations.
VALUES: We believe:
- All Howard County women and girls have a right to an adequate and sustainable quality of life and an opportunity to develop their full potential.
- Healthy development for girls is achieved through education, life skill training, and a sense of personal authority and safety.
- The needs and concerns of all women and girls in Howard County must be fully understood, acknowledged, and addressed.
- Available resources should be directed to achieving systemic change in the political, social, and economic institutions that influence the lives of women and girls.
- Philanthropy is not measured by the amount of the gift but by the intent of the giver.
- Women’s philanthropy has the power to improve the lives of women and girls in Howard County now.
- A permanent endowment provides a legacy of giving to the generations of women and girls who will follow.
- Education is the cornerstone of understanding and giving.
- Women of concern, compassion, and generosity can make the greatest difference by working together for change.
OUR TEAM
2019 WGC Advisory Board
Barb Van Winkle
Chair is President of Nancy Adams Personnel in Columbia, where her companyhas been for over 40 years. Her business specializes in providing top-notch candidates to all size companies for Administrative, Customer Service, Accounting and Office Support positions, both permanent and temporary. She has a BA degree in Sociology from Goucher College, is a triathlete and golfer, and has served on many nonprofit boards including HCCEF and Community Foundation of Howard County. She loves the Women’s Giving Circle and has been a strong supporter since its inception in 2002!
Kim Agnor
Treasurer and Co-Chair, Leadership Development Committee is an accountant with Fisher Ring LLC where she specializes in tax preparation and accounting work for small businesses and non-profits. Kim has served in assistant Headshot B AK 424-200 pxcontroller positions at St. John Properties and Questar Builders. Kim earned a BA in Economics and an Accounting Certificate from UMBC. She became licensed in MD as a CPA in 1993 and is a member of the American Association of Certified Public Accountants. In addition to serving as treasurer of the Women’s Giving Circle, Kim is one of the current advisors to the Young Women’s Giving Circle. She has also served on the Grants Committee of the Community Foundation of Howard County and on the board of directors of the Clarksville Elementary School PTA where she held the position of Treasurer. Kim has lived in Howard County since 1978. She currently lives in Clarksville with her husband Jeff and her two children, Rachel and Michael. She enjoys golf, running, cooking and reading when she gets the chance.
Jillianne Crescenzi
Chair, Donor Development Committee has previously worked for nonprofits with at-risk and special needs children. Since moving to Howard County four years ago, she works as a Children’s Instructor at Howard County Library System. There, she initiated the monthly Girl Power Club for tween girls where she plans classes that include both STEM activities and opportunities to give back to the community. She also teaches musical theatre classes in Columbia for preschoolers. Jillianne joined the Circle in 2016 and currently serves as the Chair of the Donor Development Committee for the Advisory board.
Christine Meket
Secretary has worked in the Environmental Industry for 28 years and with Republic Services for the last 16 years. She is currently the Sales Manager for the Baltimore/DC Metropolitan Area, managing 23 sales professionals, representing more than 12,000 commercial customers. Prior to working for Republic Services, Christine was the Mid-Atlantic Community and Government Affairs Manager for Waste Management and Wheelabrator, working with multiple non-profit, environmental and community organizations and serving on the Boards of Directors for the Bucks County, Pa Chamber of Commerce, the Peekskill, NY Chamber of Commerce, South Baltimore Learning Center, Save Our Streams and on multiple committees and projects supporting specific community initiatives. Christine graduated from John Carrol University with a B.S. in Business Administration and a Masters in Marketing and Public Relations from Villanova University. Christine has lived in Columbia since 2005 and became involved with the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County in 2016, serving on the Donor Development Committee and in 2017, she joined the Advisory Board.
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Jennifer Bodensiek
Vice Chair is president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Central Maryland. By connecting education and business communities, Junior Achievement reaches more than 47,000 young people, annually, with hands-on financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship programs. In 2014, with a significant multi-year investment from the Women’s Giving Circle, JA launched JA Rising Women. She received her B.S. degree in marketing education from Virginia Tech and resides in Ellicott City with her husband Ed and their two sons.
Diana Bailey
Co-Chair, Leadership Development Committee is a career educator, administrator and gender equity unnamed-1advocate. Diana has served the WGC for many years as a member of the Grants Committee and as Treasurer before becoming the current Chair of the Leadership Committee. Upon retirement from the MD State Department of Education, she is working as a consultant doing technical assistance, career and workforce development training and grants management. Additionally, she serves as the Executive Director of the MD Women’s Heritage Center.
Lee Draminski
Co-Chair, Youth Development Committee was raised in Howard County, MD and graduated from Mt. Hebron High School. She began her career as an intern at The Rouse Company, and then went on to work at the Howard County Chamber of Commerce in several different capacities. For the past 27 years, she has actively worked in the local, regional and national association world, working for Homebuilders Association of Maryland (now MBIA), Howard County Dental Association, Retail Packaging Association, and more. Lee currently serves as the Executive Director for the Maryland Mortgage Bankers and Brokers Association. She is a graduate of Shippensburg University where she was a four-year swimmer. She lives in Howard County with her husband and three children.
April Force Pardoe
Co-Chair, Youth Development Committee is the owner of April Force Pardoe Interiors, an award-winning residential design studio in Howard County. She writes the design column “Her Décor” in Her Mind magazine. April is a member of the Business Women’s Network of Howard County and has served on the board of directors for the Maryland SPCA. She lives in Elkridge with her husband and two daughters and happily shares her office with her chocolate lab, Roxy.
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Alison Canning
Immediate Past Chair has worked in financial services for more than 15 years. Alison has lived in Howard County most of her life, and is a graduate of Howard High School. Involved with the Circle since 2011, Alison has served as the Chair of the Donor Development Committee, Vice Chair, and Chair of the Advisory Board from 2016-2018. Alison lives in Silver Spring with her husband Michael and their two children, Lillian and Thomas.
Dr. Maxine Clark
began her career almost 30 years ago, specializing in the correction of spaced and crowded teeth, and also jaw malformations and dysfunctions. She credits her success to her parents: Her father, a railroad engineer, and her mother, a construction pioneer, always stressed the importance of higher education. A U.S. Army veteran and recipient of several awards, Dr. Clark mentors young adults in dentistry and serves on the advisory boards for Maryland State Medicaid and Women’s Giving Circle in Howard County.
Alice Giles
Chair, Grants Committee is in the business of information as a Technical Specialist at the Howard County Public School system. In her professional career she curates the limitless supply of information available online to help customers find the accurate information they need, provides instruction on existing technological tools, and designs new means for accessing and sharing information. In her volunteer career, she works to increase access to local government and share information and increase dialogue with the community.
Barbara Peart
is retired from state service in 2008 after 25 years. Her last position with the state was as the Assistant Director for Planning, Quality and Support Operations for the Baltimore City Department of Social Services. Barbara holds a B.S. degree in Business Management from Johns Hopkins University. As top business class graduate, she was honored with the Delta Sigma Pi Scholarship Key Award. She is also an accomplished pianist, actively involved in community activities, and has received numerous recognition throughout her career. Barbara was selected the first Chair of the Governor’s Quality Council, and has participated in many statewide committees throughout her state career. She also served on the Columbia Housing Corporation Board (Chair, 2 years) and served as a Howard County Housing Commissioner (Vice Chair, 2 years).
Karen Titus
manages membership sales at the Center for Watershed Protection, a national non profit that restores and protects water bodies throughout the country. Prior to her position with the CWPA, Karen led membership sales and events at Haven on the Lake, with the Columbia Association. Karen is a graduate of Leadership Howard County and currently serves on the Recruitment and Learning Enhancement committees. Karen practices yoga regularly, and in her free time likes to hike, cook and spend time with her family and adorable puppy Zoey. Karen has two children, Kristina and Michael, and she has been a Howard County resident for 19 years, she currently serves on the WGC Donor Development Committee.
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10 Quick Facts
10 QUICK FACTS:
- We are a group of women who are pooling our dollars to make grants that benefit women and girls.
- We raise money from donors to support our grantmaking.
- We are leveraging our dollars together so that we can have a greater impact together than we might otherwise have alone.
- We are a fund at the Community Foundation of Howard County.
- We have been part of the Howard County community for 18 years.
- We are run by the WGC Advisory Board that makes ongoing decisions.
- We have an endowment so that we will have money in perpetuity to fund programs that benefit women and girls.
- We have given over 100 grants to nonprofits in Howard County that focus on our mission.
- We host events and programs to engage donors and raise money to support our grantmaking.
- We have raised over $1 million to support our efforts from over 1,000 donors.
OUR HISTORY
WGC Herstory
Our Background:
- In the fall of 2000, four Howard County women attended a meeting in Baltimore promoting women’s philanthropy, and this proved the catalyst for a two-year planning effort by 15 diverse women to create a philanthropic group targeted to the concerns of women and girls.
- Several early issues emerged as historically significant: the desire to be inclusive, the commitment to creating a permanent legacy, and the reluctance to duplicate or detract from efforts elsewhere.
- Decisions were made to start giving levels low to allow all women to participate, to immediately establish an endowment to ensure funds for women and girls in perpetuity, and to house this new Women’s Giving Circle within The Columbia Foundation (now the The Community Foundation of Howard County) as a Donor Advised Fund.
- On February 26, 2002, the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County was formally launched to the public at Kahler Hall in Columbia at a tea. More than 200 women filled the hall. Donations and pledges poured in as women opened their hearts – and their checkbooks.
- A portion of all donated funds have become part of an endowment to ensure perpetuity and the balance will be immediately invested in initiatives to improve the lives, the health, the future, and the personal authority of women and girls.
- WGC donors strongly believe there is a place for all women, from all incomes, and at all stages of our lives, to be philanthropists and make a difference in Howard County – and we invite you to join us!
WGC Founders
Founding Donors:
In 2001, the following 16 founding members of the WGC proudly began a year-long journey – from conceptualization to implementation – to develop, launch, nurture and sustain the WGC.
In 2001, the following 16 founding members of the WGC proudly began a year-long journey – from conceptualization to implementation – to develop, launch, nurture and sustain the WGC.
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Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz
Maggie J. Brown Yolanda Bruno Beth Sandbower Harbinson Dorothy V. Harris H. Elizabeth Horowitz Barbara K. Lawson Cathy Lickteig |
Jane Vance McCauley
Darlene Miller Jean F. Moon Shelley Mulitz Linda Odum Migsie Richlin Joanne Maria Saltzberg Arlene Sheff |
"Women’s philanthropy shapes the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving.."
- Barb Van Winkle, WGC Chair
WGC Advisory Board 2000 - Present
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Kim Agnor, 2015-Present
Dee Athey, 2015-2018 Diana Bailey, 2009-Present Kathy Barnett, 2011-2015 Lauren Barr, 2006-2007, Youth on Board Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, 2002-2010, Past Chair Elizabeth Bobo, 2003-2007 Jennifer Bodensiek, 2017-Present Kathryn Brod, 2011 Maggie Brown, 2002-2004 Megan Bruno, 2009-2015, Past Chair Yolanda Bruno, 2002-2008, Past Chair Danelle Buchman, 2015-2017 Sue Buswell, 2008-2010 Alison Canning, 2010 – Present, Immediate Past Chair Dr. Maxine Clark, 2019 – Present Alison Curry, 2011-2012, YWGC Jillianne Crescenzi, 2017-Present Colleen D’Agrosa, 2008-2018 Jackie Dawson, 2009-2011, Youth on Board Bita Dayhoff, 2011-2012 Lee Draminski, 2019-Present Maura Dunnigan, 2008-2010 Julie Factor, 2011-2013 Kim Flyr, 2008-2010 Beverley Francis, 2009-2010 Penny Friedberg, 2008-2013 Lori Fuchs, 2005-2010 Alice Giles, 2019-Present Mickey Gomez, 2013 – 2015 Pamela Gruver, 2013 Cindy Hankin, 2011-2015 Beth Sandbower Harbinson, 2002-2007 Dorothy V. Harris, 2002-2007, Past Chair Norma Hill, 2009-2010 Elizabeth Horowitz, 2002-2004 Kirsten Jacobson, 2007-2008, Youth on Board Trent Kittleman, 2008-2012 Beverly Koren, 2006-2010 Rae Lapine, 2003-2007 |
Barbara K. Lawson, 2002-2007
Jean West Lewis, 2008-2010 Cathy Lickteig, 2002-2004 Cindy Lifson, 2013 – 2015 Carole MacPhee, 2009-2013 Malynda Madzel, 2003-2005 Missy Mattey, 2005-2010 Jane Vance McCauley, 2002-2004 Christine Meket, 2018-Present Darlene Miller, 2002-2003 Jean F. Moon, 2002-2008, Past Chair Pam Sorota Mowery, 2006-2009 Shelly Mulitz, 2002-2003 Lynne Nemeth, 2003-2006 Barbara Nicklas, 2008-2013 Linda Odum, 2002-2008, Past Chair Courtney Odum-Duncan, 2009-2011 Mary Patton, 2003-2006 April Force Pardoe, 2018-Present Barbara Peart, 2011-Present April Renee Randall, 2015-2016 Laurie Remer, 2005-2007 Migsie Richlin, 2002-2006 Susan Rosenbaum, 2008-2009 Joanne Saltzberg, 2002-2004, 2006-2008 Mary Ann Scully, 2004-2008 Joan Webb Scornaienchi, 2011-2013 Kathleen Sheedy, 2013 – 2016 Arlene Sheff, 2002-2007 Caroline Sherman, 2008-2014 Mary Kay Sigaty, 2003-2007 Beth Singleton, 2009-2011 Robin Steele, 2003-2007 Cynthia Taliano, 2006-2015, Past Chair Betty Thacker, 2003-2005 Karen Titus, 2019-Present Liz Watson, 2008-2010, Youth on Board Barb Van Winkle, 2011-Present, Current Chair 2019 Alexis Wales, 2013 – 2016, YWGC Kira Westbrook, Youth on Board Courtney Workman, 2013-2017 |
